


City Heat

by Thorfanficwriter



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 1940s, 40's Bucky, Brooklyn, Bucky Barnes AU, Bucky Barnes is Not the Winter Soldier, Bucky is a smooth talker, Cop Sam, Cop Steve, Detective, Detective Noir, Detective!Bucky, Detectives, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Light Angst, Mild Smut, Mobsters, New York City, Non-Graphic Violence, Not Captain America: The First Avenger Compliant, Organized Crime, POV Bucky Barnes, Post-War, Post-World War II, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Sex, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Sexy, Slow Burn, Smut, bucky barnes pov, detective bucky, heat wave, innuendos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-07-31 15:03:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20117029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thorfanficwriter/pseuds/Thorfanficwriter
Summary: A 1940′s Detective Bucky series. One sweltering summer night, a ginchy dame walks into a diner and meets Bucky Barnes, private eye. He learns she’s in a tight jam. Will he be able to help her out of it and get the girl in the end?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work is to be read on AO3 only. Please do not use any of the many available reader apps, ESPECIALLY THOSE MAKING MONEY VIA ADS OR PAID PREMIUMS. These apps are making money off the hard work of content creators who get zero compensation. Additionally, these apps reformat the works without permission which I feel infringes on our rights as creators. I hope you will support me and other artists in continuing to uphold the principles and spirit of bringing you the free fanwork you enjoy.

_ Brooklyn, New York - 194__6 _

The city was hell that summer. Especially since the only thing cooling (and I use that term loosely) my office was a ceiling fan on its last leg. Each rotation looked like it might be the last. Putting down the paper I had finally gotten around to finishing, I stared up at the lame beast. _ Should just shoot you and put us both out of misery, _ I thought. 

It didn’t help that after HYDRA put some of their test serum in me, my normal body temperature ran a couple degrees higher than most. Nice during the mid-Atlantic winters. Not so much during a heat wave. 

There hadn’t been much letup throughout the day, so I was surprised to see the sun going down. My watch read 8:15. I don’t recall why I bothered hanging around so long that night. No one had called or stopped by for over a week. My insurance fraud case was the last one I’d worked in a while. Good thing the company paid well enough to keep me afloat for a month or so. There’d be a lot of belt tightening needed if something good didn’t turn up soon. No matter. I was used to living within my means. 

I dragged my Oxfords off the desk, stood and pulled on the dress shirt that was hanging on the back of the chair. The tie was next, then my gun holster. I felt like I was going to suffocate, but one couldn’t very well be seen on the street in an undershirt and suspenders. It was a blessing that hats started going out of fashion after the war. 

On the way out, I pulled the suit jacket off the hook and locked up. I would stop at the diner then try the precinct on my way home. Maybe one of the sergeants on duty had a hot tip. 

Earl’s was a greasy spoon that served decent hash for not a lot of dough. I had just dug into a slab of peach pie when a dame hurried over, taking the last seat left at the counter, next to mine. She smelled really nice, like some kind of delicate flower. I took a quick peek. Her movie star good looks were hard not to stare at. Manhattan was chock full of pretty gals, most of them models, dancers or aspiring starlets. But this was no girl. She was all woman. 

The lady’s voice shook when she ordered a cup of coffee. She took a cigarette out of her purse, so I offered her a light. There was a slight tremor in her hand. 

“You okay, miss?” 

She just nodded, thanked me and turned to the cup of joe put down in front of her. One foot was bobbing up and down like she was ready to bolt and she watched out the window from the corner of her eye. After she emptied her cup, she began digging into her purse. 

I pulled five cents from my pocket and placed it on the counter. “It’s on me.” 

“Thank you, but I couldn’t.” 

When she had finally made eye contact with me, I couldn’t stop myself from gawking. From the top of her glossy dark hair that gently framed her face in waves, all the way down the length of legs that went on for days, I had never seen such a perfect representation of the female form in flesh. Her cherry red lips were giving me sorts of ideas. But it was her soft, brown doe eyes that did me in. The minute I looked into them, I was a goner. 

“It’s only a nickel.” Something outside the diner definitely upset her. Suddenly, she turned to face the counter again. “You sure you okay? Sure seems like something’s got you spooked.” 

“Just trying to avoid someone.” 

“Look, I’m a private detective. If you’re in some kind of trouble, maybe I can help.” When she gave me a suspicious look, I found my wallet and flashed the ID card issued by our great state. 

“I’m being followed,” she whispered. 

“By who?” 

After peeking over at the window again, then behind her, she let out the breath she had been holding. “He just passed outside. I don’t know who he is, but he's been around everywhere I went today. I think maybe my ex hired him.” 

“Husband?” 

“Yeah, but not mine. That’s how come he’s my ex.” 

“Listen, my office is only a block from here. You wanna talk about this confidential-like?” 

“I’m not sure I can afford your services.” 

“I ain’t got nothing else going on. We’ll worry about that later.” Tossing a few bills on the counter, I offered her a hand off of the stool. “So, what’s this guy look like?” 

“Big. Real big. A bull of a man. Close cropped hair. So blond it’s almost white. Beady eyes.” 

I led her out into the street, keeping my eyes peeled. On the walk back to my building, I asked, “What’s your name, by the way?” 

“Cora. Cora Johnson.” 

“James Buchanan Barnes, but everyone calls me Bucky.” 

“Even clients?” 

“Only the pretty ones.” The remark didn’t inspire the least rise in her. _ She’s probably used to i__t, _I figured. 

“Do you get a lot of those?” 

“You’re the first, doll.” If she was flustered at all, she didn’t show it. Except for the sheen of dewy perspiration glistening over her satiny skin, I would have said she was cool as ice. Man, I have never been more wrong in my entire life. 

“Bucky, then.” I liked the way my name rolled off her tongue. Like a cat when it purrs. 

When we made it up to my personal sweatshop, I flipped the light switch and pulled a chair away from the desk for her. I watched as she crossed one gorgeous gam over the other causing the dress hem to ride up her thigh a couple inches. If I hadn’t already been sweating, that certainly would’ve done it. Like a lady, she immediately smoothed it back down over her knee. 

I made eye contact and saw I’d been caught. She knew I liked what I saw, but that didn’t seem to bother her either. She was probably used to that, too. 

To cover up for the awkwardness, I reached into my pocket for the packet of cigarettes that were always on hand. Cora declined my offer before I tapped one out, placing it between my lips to light it. She watched me carefully. If I didn’t know any better, I woulda thought she was looking at me the same way I looked at her. But classy gals like that don’t go for scrubs like me. 

It was slightly unprofessional of me, but the heat was really unbearable. Took off the jacket again, loosened my tie and collar then sat on the desk leaving one leg planted on the floor, rolling up my shirt sleeves. “Sorry ‘bout the oven. The super hasn’t gotten ‘round to fixing this fan yet,” I explained, pointing upwards. 

“Thanks, but I can take the heat.” 

Well, if that wasn’t flirting, I don’t know what is. But I was determined to stay professional-like. “So, Miss Johnson. What’s the story?” 


	2. Chapter 2

“I suppose you should call me Cora if I’m to call you Bucky.” Beads of sweat were emerging at the sides of her neck making her skin look dewy. Like satin. I snapped my peepers to meet hers. 

“Alright, Cora. So, you think your ex is having you followed. Why?” 

One thing you outta know about me is, I’m a skeptical type of guy. I’ve been on the wrong end of a screw job enough times to have gotten pretty jaded. In my experience, women who could get away with murder usually did, or tried to anyway. I had no reason to suspect she wanted to pull one over on me, but I wanted all the cards on the table. 

“He’s been trying to get me back.” 

“What’s his name?” 

“Brock Rumlow.” 

“Brock ‘The Shield’ Rumlow? Capo for the Genovese crime family?” She nodded. I took a long drag from the cigarette then tapped it into the nearby ashtray on the desk. The smoke was exhaled deliberately slow to settle my nerves. Syndicated crime was one thing I had always steered clear of. They were touchy about even a whiff of someone nosing around their business. “You look like you got too much class to be a gangster’s moll.” 

"Glad to hear it. I didn’t know anything about his business or that he’s married. When I figured things out a couple weeks ago, I called it quits. Okay. I was a sap, but I cut loose P.D.Q. Or so I thought. He called a couple times promising he’d leave his wife. You know the schtick. I thought he finally took ‘no’ for an answer, but today, I kept seeing the same guy just about everywhere I went. Not too close, but always within eyesight.” 

“You recognize him?” 

She shook her head. 

“But you think he works for Rumlow?” 

She nodded. 

“Any reason somebody else would want to follow you? Gal like you typically has fellows tagging behind like lost little puppies.” 

“Not all day. Not without eventually approaching me.” 

_ Touche. _

“I’ll be honest. I ain’t too keen on getting mixed up with any of the families or their associates.” There was a churning in my gut that told me walking wouldn’t be enough. I should run. “Well, it sure was nice to meet you, Cora, but this is where we’re going to have to part ways. Gary Cooper I’m not, but I’m kinda attached to this goofy mug o’ mine.” The cigarette was snuffed out into the ashtray to emphasis the point. 

She stood and said, “I can’t say that I blame you. Guess I’ll be on my way. Sorry to trouble you.” Then she did the worst thing a dame could do to me. She covered her mouth with her hand and turned on the waterworks. 

Cora moved to go, so I stood to block her. There were only inches between us, another whiff of that intoxicating scent accosting my nostrils. My heart started pounding. In the sauna of my office, you would've figured more heat was the last thing anyone wanted. But that night I understood how moths get drawn to flames. She could have set me on fire and I would have thanked her for it. Instead, I handed her my handkerchief. 

“I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s just, I don’t know what I’m going to do.” She dabbed at the tears. You know the way gals do to keep their mascara from running. My hands started feeling twitchy so I stuck them in my pockets to make sure they kept to themselves. I also took a healthy step back. I wasn’t thinking straight at all by that point and needed distance. 

“Guess, the least I can do is get the lowdown on the tail.” _ So much for playing it safe. _ “If it's some random nut job, I can easily scare him off. If not, you can get the cops involved. I got a friend on the force. They’re happy for any excuse to go after the mob.” 

“What, exactly, are you proposing?” 

“The best way to start is for me to shadow you.” 

“Where?” 

“Anywhere you go, I go.” 

“I don’t have that kind of money.” 

“Not asking for any, yet.” 

Looking straight up into my eyes, batting dewy lashes, she answered, “Thank you, Bucky. I’ll try to think of some way to repay you.” 

There was a lot of intelligence behind those eyes. Eyes that, being so close, I realized were a deep, soft brown. The gal had smarts but she wasn’t hard. I liked that. 

Cora knew exactly what she was doing and she wasn’t shy about it. I liked that too, but not the fact that she felt obligated to work me over in that manner. Having three younger sisters, I know what jerks guys can be. Sure, I can be as much an idiot as the next guy, but I’m no brute. 

“Look doll, when I say don’t worry about it, I mean it.” 

Her eyes softened, looked kind of perplexed. Perhaps that was one thing she wasn’t used to hearing. “Don’t you have other, paying clients you should attend to?” 

“Like I told you, the pond is dry right now. If something comes up, you’ll be the first to know. This whole thing goes against my better judgement, but I gotta feeling if I let you walk outta here, you’re gonna keep lookin’ over your shoulder and maybe not sleep so good tonight.” 

“Gotta admit you’re right. Pop always told me not to look a gift horse in the mouth, anyways.” That made me grin which seemed to finally relax her a little. “Do you want my schedule for tomorrow?” 

I gathered up my jacket and said, “No time like the present.” On our way out the door, I asked, “Say, you got anything to drink at your place? I am dying of thirst.” 


	3. Chapter 3

I told her to take a look out the window for anyone suspicious. A peek through the venetian blinds and confirmation nothing noteworthy was going on in the street, we went over to her place. It was only a few blocks east. “Huh. Figured you for an Uptown girl.” 

“How come?” 

“Most people living around here are kinda hard around the edges, if you know what I mean.” 

“Think I do,” she answered along with a nod. Then she added a smile. “Thanks.” 

She lived on the third floor of a four-story building. After we climbed the stairs, she let me into the apartment and waited in the hall. It wasn’t much larger than most efficiencies, but it had a separate bedroom with two twin beds and a private bath instead of a shared one down the hall. There was a single small window AC unit giving the space some relief. I was glad to see the windows faced the front of the building. It made my job easier. 

After I gave the all clear, Cora came in, invited me to sit and offered me that drink. The scotch on the rocks handed me went down real smooth. It doesn’t take a connoisseur to know that kind of hootch don’t come cheap. Somebody with high-falutin’ taste bought it. “How often you bring the ex here?” 

“Once.” 

My eyebrow cocked up involuntarily in question and I swirled the glass in my hand for a moment before taking another swig. 

“One time. I swear. When he realized I had a roommate, he got real antsy. That was one of the first signs something was off.” She continued her protest. “I know what this seems like.” 

“What’s that?” 

“Like I'm easy.” 

“Sister, you got me all wrong. I don’t think there’s a thing easy about you. I’m just gathering useful information.” 

“What’s useful in knowing how many times I was with Brock?” 

“It helps me establish the extent of the relationship. It also helps me understand exactly how far out I’m sticking my neck.” 

"What other information would be useful, Bucky?” 

“What do you do for a living?” 

“Perfume counter at Barneys.” 

“How does a shop girl afford a place like this?” 

“It’s shared with another girl.” 

“That must be kinda tight.” 

“She’s a night duty staff nurse. We usually only see each other in passing or the rare occasions we have off at the same time. It’s not bad at all. What about you?” 

“What about me?” 

“I’ve told you everything you’ve wanted to know so far, but I know nothing about you. How’d you get into this line of work? I thought private eyes were all gruff, old former cops.” 

Like just about every other war vet, I was at loose ends after coming home. One of my uncles offered to take me under his wing when advancing arthritis started making it hard for him to do a lot of the leg work. It had only been a couple weeks since getting my license when he didn’t show up for work one day. Died of a heart attack in the middle of the night. Not only was it sad, but he hadn’t made a will or anything. I called up the few clients we were working with and luckily they decided it would be too bothersome to find someone new and start over. 

Our drinks were finished off. Cora stood and took my glass over to the sink. “Well, thank you, Bucky. Suppose I’ll see you in the morning?” 

I kept my keister planted on the sofa, spread my arms wide across the back, put my feet up on the coffee table and said, “Sorry, baby. It’s a sleepover.” 

“What? Oh no. No, sir.” 

“You don’t know who this guy is or what his directives are. If you want to keep that pretty little head of yours on top of your pretty little neck you need to trust me. This couch is plenty comfy. Go sleep safe and sound in your room and I’ll keep watch. Lock the door if you want. Won’t hurt my feelings none.” 

She huffed loudly and tried to come up with an argument to dissuade me but ended up stomping off into the bedroom. I had to stifle a chuckle seeing her frustrated like that. It was awfully cute. A minute later she stomped back out and begrudgingly handed me a pillow and blanket. “That’s mighty hospitable, ma’am,” I said with my best John Wayne impression. 

Albeit reluctant, that at least that got her to giggle. “It’s the least I can do. Thanks again, Bucky. And help yourself to anything you want,” she gave me that certain look again before saying, “Good night.” 

The bedroom door closed. I listened for a moment. Didn’t hear the lock turn, assuming there was one in working order. If there wasn’t, I would’ve expected to hear a piece of furniture moved to block any uninvited guests. Hopefully, that meant she trusted me at least enough to be a gentleman. There was no doubt I would, but man, left alone to my own devices it was impossible not to imagine the possibilities. 

During the night, I dozed on and off, looking down at the street every few hours. Occasionally, a bum, drunks or a beat cop strolled along. That was it. Got me wondering one more time if there was more going on. Hysterical types can’t hide it for long, so I couldn’t believe she was imagining things. 

In the morning, Cora emerged dressed and ready for work. She was wearing a lightweight, flowy number. It was modest, appropriate for work, but still hugged her in all the right places. 

Sitting up, I caught her eyes going wide for a moment reminding me I had stripped down to my skivvies under the blanket. Even though the apartment was air conditioned, the small window unit struggled under the city’s hot spell. “Do you mind, doll?” I asked, gesturing to the rest of my ensemble draped over an arm chair. She obliged then turned her back, heading for the kitchen so I could get decent, which was fortuitous since I seemed to be having the stereotypical male morning trouble. 

“Feel free to use the bathroom to wash up,” she called out. “Sorry, I don’t have a spare razor or toothbrush.” 

“Thanks. I’ll see to that later.” After rinsing my face off with cold water and smoothing out my hair, I was disappointed to see other parts were still out of control. In fact, it had gotten worse than before. Why is it the harder you try not to think about things like that, the more you think about those things? Anyway, my jacket was still in the front room, so there was no way I was going to be able to hide it. There was only one way to take care of it. 

I opened the door a crack and popped my head out to ask if it'd be to much trouble to use the shower. Thankfully, she wasn’t the prudish type who don’t even want to think about a man naked in their bathroom. Finding a clean towel in the cabinet, I started up the water, barely adding any hot water. Unfortunately, the cold water felt fantastic against my hot, sticky skin. It wasn’t helping matters at all. I didn’t want to linger long enough to raise suspicion, so I resolved to taking care of the problem the old-fashioned way. 

Closing my eyes and letting imagination run wild, my new crush popped immediately to mind. I fantasized what it would have been like if Cora had invited me into that bedroom of hers. As much as I wanted to savor the images in my head, there wasn’t time. My behavior in the daydream was not very gentlemanly, I’ll admit. But it got the job done. 

Finally presentable, I wandered back out to the smell of something cooking. She was nice enough to have whipped up some eggs and coffee as well as ask how the couch had suited me. Giving her the low-down on the night’s non-events, I then went over the day’s plan. Once explaining I would follow her to and from work, and that she wasn’t to alter her normal routine, I gave her a brief head start. We left, making sure none of the neighbors caught me coming out of her apartment. 


	4. Chapter 4

The department store was only six blocks away, so we walked. Geez, but it was still hot that morning. Sweat began trickling down the back of my collar the minute I stepped onto the pavement. 

It was kind of amusing to see how many fellas who passed would turn around to check out the view as Cora walked by, but it wore thin awfully fast. One guy whistled and I made a point to run into the back of him. “Would you watch where you’re going, bub? She’s a lady, not a piece of meat,” I growled. I knew guys could be creeps but never realized how many. 

Her trip was uneventful and I hadn’t seen anyone matching the description she gave me or anyone else acting suspiciously. It was an eight hour day for her with a half-hour lunch in the break room. She was set for a good while. Since my place was clear on the other side of the borough, I hopped a bus to chase down the z’s lost overnight. 

My alarm went off at 4pm. A quick shave and a clean shirt, then I headed back to Barneys. There a little early, I parked my keister across the street on a park bench. About five minutes to five, a big lug sat down at the other end. Just like Cora had said, you couldn’t miss him if you tried. He had to be at least six-four with a face only a mother could love. 

My bench mate was wearing a cream colored, single-breasted suit with a white wide collared shirt and rust colored tie. If it wasn’t the ridiculously hard look in his eye, he might have passed for one of the dozens of successful business men going about their day. That, and the fact I could tell by the way he moved, he was packing heat. Organized crime was written all over the shmuck. 

Ten minutes later, Cora walked out of the main doors, down the block towards her apartment. The Goon left me and walked in the same direction. I gave him a decent head start, then followed right along behind. The head towering over most folks made it pretty easy to keep track of him through the rush crowding the sidewalk. Cora was another story, but it didn’t look like the guy was trying to get close which was a relief. 

When we came up to her building, the blond gorilla casually strolled across the street and made like he was waiting around for someone. He didn’t seem to notice me, so I went on in and up to Cora’s. 

Responding to my knock, the door opened as far as the chain would allow. Seeing me, she unlatched it and opened up. Before stepping in, I told her to casually close all the blinds. 

“He’s there. I saw him.” 

“Yeah, I know, doll. He followed you from work.” 

“Bucky, how do we get it to stop?” She looked shaken. 

“Whoa. Take it easy,” I said. Putting a hand on each of her shoulders, I reassured her. “I’m going to take care of this, okay? Don’t worry.” 

When she looked up at me with those big brown eyes, I wanted nothing more than to pull her into my arms tight. Sure, earlier that day I’d had some unsavory fantasies, but at that moment I just wanted to make her feel safe. Protected. 

“Did you have any plans tonight?” She shook her head. “Good. ”

Looking away, sheepishly, she asked, “Will you be staying again?” This time, the tone of her voice wasn’t coy. It was a plea for help. 

"I'd like to keep an eye on him.” The tension visibly left her body and she smiled. 

A glass of that fantastic scotch was poured and handed to me, then she cooked up some dinner. I asked how work went and she asked what I’d done with my day. Not having much to tell her other than The Goon’s appearance, we got to talking about where we’d grown up, families and stuff. The meal was ready in a snap. It was a classic pasta carbonara that was delicious. Eating done, I insisted she let me wash the dishes. She stood by my side, drying. It felt very domestic. Nice and cozy. Unfortunately, I had a job to do and went back on duty. 

The sun was starting to go down, but the thug remained at his post. Cora was getting antsy again so I asked if she had a deck of cards. She dug some out of a drawer. We returned to the kitchen table and played Gin Rummy for a while. It seemed to do the trick, distracting her until I felt the need for another check. By that time, it was nearing nine o’clock. 

“Can I use your phone?” I asked. She said it was okay, so I sat on the couch by the end table where it stood and made the call. “Hey, it’s Bucky,” I announced when the line was picked up. “Let me talk to the Captain.” 

A few seconds later, I was on the line with my oldest friend in the world, Steve Rogers. Not being eligible to enlist during the war, he had instead gone into the police academy. They had eased up requirements due to lack of manpower and Steve managed to fight his way through. Despite his small stature, his dogged determination grew legendary and he quickly rose through the ranks. By the time I came back stateside, he was Captain of the 76th precinct. 

Normally, I avoided taking advantage our friendship, but this was a special situation. Our chat lasted a few minutes. I told Cora, “They’re sending Sam over. He’ll tell this guy to move along and warn him off.” 

“Who’s Sam?” 

“A beat cop. He’s a standup guy.” I stood and went for my jacket. 

“You’re not leaving, are you?” 

“I wanna see where Bozo scuttles off to.” 

Looking down at her hands, she said quietly, “I’m not sure I can handle being alone right now. What if Brock sends someone to replace him, or worse, shows up himself?” A shiver ran through her. She was a lot more scared than she’d been letting on. 

A decision had to be made as to the potential for gaining intel versus the risks of leaving her alone. Steve wouldn’t be able to spare anybody else, especially when there had been no actual crime. While I was trying to suss all this out, that vulnerable look came across her face again. 

Look. I’m a man, and sometimes my animal instincts make decisions that I end up regretting later on. Okay? Sue me. 

Another gander through the blinds slats and I saw Sam had finally arrived. The Goon made a mild protest but then went away as directed. I let Cora know which relaxed her immediately. We played a couple more rounds of cards until I noticed her yawning. “You should turn in.” 

Her hand covered her mouth again while she nodded. “I think you’re right.” Ten minutes later, she came out of the bedroom, fresh faced and wearing a long bathrobe. “You know, it seems kind of silly for you to spend the night on the couch when there’s a whole separate bed.” 

“You sure?” 

“Just give me a minute.” It was more like half of one when she hollered, “Okay.” 

I walked in to see she was completely modest and chaste, under the covers. After I washed up in the bathroom, she turned onto her side so that her back faced the other bed. I undressed and slipped in. 

“All clear.” 

She giggled, then turned over and shut off the lamp on the nightstand between us. “Thanks again, Bucky. I really don’t know how I’m ever going to repay this kindness.” 

“You’ve been feeding me, haven’t you?” 

“I really don’t think that squares things.” 

“How ‘bout we get all this behind us before we worry about that?” 

“Alright.” We said goodnight and it wasn’t long until I dozed off. 

Hours later I was jumping back out of bed at a woman screaming. At first, I thought it was Cora, but when my sleepy eyes came into focus, it was a small blonde gal in a nurse's uniform. When she saw me in my boxers, she screamed again and covered her eyes. 

“Gina, cut that out! You’re going to wake the neighbors,” Cora grumbled as she threw her robe back on. When the roommate silenced, she explained, “This is Bucky.” 

“What the hell was he doing naked in my bed?” 

“Stop exaggerating. That guy was following me again and I got scared. That’s all.” She looked at the clock which read 4am. “What are you doing here anyway?” 

“There was a mix-up on the duty roster so they sent me home early.” 

By that time, I had slipped back into my slacks and gathered the rest of my things. “You can open your eyes now,” I said walking past her. “Sorry for the trouble.” 

Cora trailed behind me into the living area. She tried to convince me to stay while I finished getting dressed. “It’s still dark out. You can still have the couch.” 

Before answering, I went over to the window one last time. All was quiet. “No one’s around, and your friend’s here now. Trust me, I wouldn’t go if I thought there was even a chance of something happening. Your shadow knows the routine now. He’s not going to show up again until after you get off work tomorrow. I’ll see you then.” 

We walked to the door. In the hall, I turned and said, “I wanna hear you lock up behind me.” Her eyes looked sad to see me go. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but there was a slide, a click then her saying, “Goodnight, Bucky,” like she knew I was still standing there. 

I said, “Goodnight, Cora,” because I was. 


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning was overcast, turning the city into a giant steam bath. Everyone was praying some rain would come in for relief, but there was only a slim chance. Systems kept on veering north or south that summer as if they were purposefully trying to avoid us. 

I spent most of the day in my office while Cora worked her shift. The nice thing about my line of work is there isn’t a lot of overhead and expenses are typically paid by the client. There aren’t a ton of bills and rarely any correspondence. A letter was waiting for me which was a surprise. 

It was from the insurance company I finished up with over a week ago. They were interested in putting me on retainer and asked me to call. I spent some time talking on the phone to work out those details. The idea of fairly steady work was nice. Maybe even start making enough dough to take a girl out to dinner or the movies once in a while. 

Not long after all that was settled, Steve stopped in. He had never been to my place of business before, let alone in uniform. He wasn’t in full dress, but something was up. 

“Sam recognized the guy last night,” he informed me. “Name’s Norbert ‘The Fixer’ Ebersol. 

“Assume there’s a record?” 

“Yeah, ever since juvie. He’s been brought in a few times for assault and battery. Awfully dangerous fella. Nearly killed a man, but nothin’s ever stuck. Confirmed to be one of Rumlow’s guys. What the hell have you gotten yourself into?” 

“I’m not sure, yet.” Cora’s entire story from the diner up until the previous day was laid out before him. 

“Any reason to think she might be playin’ ya?” 

“What could she possibly gain from that?” 

“Hell if I know. You hear some crazy stories in this town.” 

“It sounds like Rumlow might be having her tailed to make sure she’s not seeing someone else and scare off potential suitors. Can’t think of any other reason. Unless he thinks she knows something. But if that were the case, he should have made a move by now.” 

“What’s in this for you, anyhow?” 

Trying to decide how to answer that, I went for my smokes and lit one up. The hesitation gave Steve enough time to put two and two together. Those smarts of his could be a real pain in the ass sometimes.

“Got it bad, huh? This isn’t like you. Going all ga-ga over a skirt.” 

“Am I that obvious?” 

“Like a dog in heat.” He went for his collar and loosened his tie a bit, took of the cap. “Speaking of which, Jesus, it’s hotter ‘n hell in here.” 

“Hey, maybe you can put the screws on the super into fixing the fan before winter rolls around. Or, better yet, maybe you know someone who can manipulate the weather. Conjure up a little lightning and thunder?” 

“Or you could always blow this popsicle stand and join us. We need all the good guys we can get.” 

“Save your breath, punk.” Ever since I got out of the Army, he’d been trying to get me into the force. No matter how many times I explained it to him, he couldn’t get it into his thick skull that I had no further interests in serving. The things I’d seen, the things I’d been asked to do still gave me the occasional nightmare. Taking orders again was the last thing I wanted to do. 

“How’s Peggy doing?” Talking about family was usually a good way to throw him off the scent. 

“She’s good but these temperatures aren't helping her mood any. Due any day now, though.” 

They were expecting their first and Steve was beyond thrilled. He’d asked me to be the kid’s godfather, not once but twice already. I would tease that the baby would probably come out bigger than he was, but he didn’t mind. Said as long as it’s healthy. Guess when you grow up like he did, you don’t take that kind of thing for granted. 

Steve was a sickly five-foot-four, 95-pounds when I shipped out. A lot of my childhood involved fighting bullies off of him and training him how to use his fists when necessary. Tried teaching him to avoid trouble in the first place, but that was like talking to a brick wall. 

By the time I got back from overseas, he had packed on some serious pounds and grown a couple more inches due to a healthier diet and rigorous training. Nobody would call him a physical specimen, but between his tenacity and the badge, no one was pushing him around any longer, either. 

As soon as I’d gotten back from the war, he made it his mission to share in his good fortune as an attempt to pay me back. I never really understood why. That’s what friends are for, after all. Unfortunately, Steve with an idea was like a terrier with a bone. And that day, my bringing up the family also reminded him of his other favorite topic: Bucky Barnes, charity case. 

“You doin’ okay?” he asked. 

“Right as rain.” 

“Don’t know why I bother. Your answer’d be the same if you lost your left arm. You planning on getting out of that rundown rat trap any time soon?” 

Mocking personal offense, I answered, “My apartment is cozy.” 

“For vermin, maybe. When are you going to suck up that dumb pride of yours and stay with me and Peggy? You know we have plenty of room.” 

“Not for long, you won’t. Besides, it’s not pride. I happen to like having my own space.” This was true. Two years of living in close, hardly sanitary quarters, never having a minute to yourself had done a number on me. Brooklyn might not be serene or idyllic, but being able to have the smallest of spots to myself was heaven. 

The funny thing about the Army is you can’t wait to get back home, but when you do, you find you don’t quite fit anymore. Moving back in with my parents and two of my younger sisters (one had married) wore thin after only a few weeks. Once I was able to provide for myself, I had to make that break at any cost. 

Steve made it no secret he hated the way I lived. It wasn’t so much my choice of lifestyle as it was the environment. The tenement building which housed my apartment was not far from the one Rogers was raised in. He was intimately familiar with the conditions of those homes. Meanwhile, my family had a two-story brownstone. He had me put up on a pedestal back then and didn’t like to see me off of it even if it was by choice. 

“At least come over for dinner soon?" Grabbing his cap, he stood to go. “And be careful, okay?” 

“Always am.” 

“No, you’re not.” 

“Well, if that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black.” 

Steve gave me one of his infamous, stern fatherly looks. “I’ll do what I can to add some extra eyes to her building, but until there's more, that’s the best I can do.” 

“Yeah, I know the drill. I appreciate it.” 

On his way out he said, “Don’t do anything stupid.” 

“How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you.” 


	6. Chapter 6

No one in the city thought it could possibly get any hotter, but it did. The humidity also kept on rising along with people’s tempers. In the ten minutes I waited on the bench watching the street, three separate arguments flared up. Steve had mentioned that violent crimes had gone up, too, during the heat wave. The paper I was carrying with me claimed it was expected to break in a couple days. In the meantime, I sat stewing like everyone else. 

Ebersol wasn’t to be seen when Cora left Barneys that afternoon. I followed anyway, just to play it safe. Honestly, I was also anxious to let her know what Steve had told me. At least one of her suspicions had been confirmed. Funny enough, she didn’t turn down the street to her apartment, but walked on a couple more blocks into a restaurant. 

The place caught me off guard. It wasn’t a paltry diner or deli, but a nice joint with linen covered tables, and chairs instead of booths. There was even a bar, so I took a seat at the end of it and watched. 

The hostess escorted Cora to where a real handsome fella stood to greet her. This guy looked like he walked off a movie set. He was tall, with dark hair and a chiseled jawline. She gave him a big smile, put her arms around him and he gave her a kiss on the cheek. Despite not having eaten anything for hours, a pit developed in my stomach. The barkeep came up and I ordered a stiff one. 

I sat there, nursing the whiskey and chewing on peanuts watching the two of them talking and laughing. Having a high old time. _Why couldn’t that _ _ be _ _ me? _I wondered. The two of them were very comfortable with each other. Definitely had known each other awhile. I envied how carefree Cora was with the other man. Loathed him down to his two-toned leather covered toes. Then, I supposed she did deserve to be treated to nice things. There was no hope of that with me for the foreseeable future. 

Dinner didn’t take long, but they talked for quite a while. Long enough that the bartender got irritated with me for dallying about with the one measly drink. After desert and coffee, her date slid a small box wrapped with a bow over the table. Inside was a shiny gold necklace. They stood. She turned her back to him, held her hair out of the way and he clasped it in place. Cora spun around again and gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek for good measure. Lucky bastard. 

After that, he paid the bill and escorted her out. I could see them through the front windows. Out on the street, they said goodbye and she gave him another hug before they went separate ways. As usual, I trailed behind her. This time she was heading back home. 

By the time my feet reached the threshold, I was plenty sore. Mostly at myself. It wasn’t like she had led me on. I had never voiced my feelings. Heck, I wasn’t entirely sure what they were until Joe Blow blew in. The most we’d done was flirt a little. Still, I couldn’t shake the crushing disappointment. 

Her face was all bliss and sunshine when she opened the door. “Hi, Bucky. How was your day?” 

“It was a day.” It was swell to see her happy for once. Part of me hated that I was trying to ruin it, but I could not stop feeling sorry for myself. 

“C’mon. I know you didn’t sit on your backside doing nothing. Tell me how you spent it.” 

“I worked. That’s it.” 

“Well, I had a marvelous day, thank you for asking. That is before you dragged this dark cloud in. I have some good news for you. Maybe that’ll cheer you up.” 

“Good luck,” I huffed. “What’s that?” 

“I’m going to stay with my brother's family this weekend. They have a brownstone over in Flatbush. It’s been a while since I visited and you can have time to yourself without having to worry over me.” 

“Until this is resolved, I reserve the right to worry,” I grumbled. Though my hopes and dreams had recently been dashed, hearing it would be a whole ‘nother two days before I got to see her again made me even crabbier. 

“Look. I appreciate everything you’re doing. But you gotta stop going out of your way for me. I’ll talk to my brother. He’ll give me hell for getting involved with someone like that, but he’ll help me figure something out. You don’t have to keep putting yourself out.” 

“It just hasn’t been a great day. That’s all.” It took a lot of effort to keep my cool. I took a quick look outside and didn’t see anyone. Hopefully, The Goon and Rumlow had gotten the hint. 

“Besides, you can’t keep staying here nights, as much as I’d like you to.” 

Wasn’t that a kicker? Got one guy giving her jewelry and stringing along another. I couldn’t figure what she’d get out of it. She knew I couldn’t buy her a decent meal, let alone pretty bobbles. An involuntary snort came out. 

“What’s that for?” she asked. 

“You like having me around, huh?” 

“I do,” she said shyly. “Really. But if we keep this up, someone’s bound to catch us and start talking. You know how nosy neighbors are.” 

Occasionally, my mouth likes to go shooting off without permission. It said, “And, of course, we wouldn’t want the boyfriend to find out.” 

“Boyfriend? I told you I broke up with Brock.” 

“I’m talking about the other guy.” She looked confused. “The restaurant earlier. Mr. Gold Necklace.” 

Her eyes went wide and she laughed. “You think that was my boyfriend?” 

“I should hope so since he gave you that,” I said, pointing at the dainty chain on her neck. 

Cora put her hands on her hips and the laughter turned into a smirk. “And this made you jealous?” 

“No.” Alright, that was false. It wouldn't have convinced my own mother. “But given what’s going on I need to know about the men in your life.” 

“That man was my brother, you goose.” 

You know those cartoons where the character’s whole head turns into a shoe heel? That’s exactly how I felt. Too bad I didn’t have a tail, because tucking it between my legs and slinking away sounded extremely inviting at that moment. 

She could see me squirming. The screws tightened even further. “It’s my birthday.” 

“Oh geez! Cora, baby. I'm a real dope. Happy birthday. Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“Because I didn’t want you to feel obligated to do anything. You’re already doing too much.” 

“I’m such an idiot. Can you forgive me?” 

“That depends.” 

“On what?” 

“The truth. Were you jealous?” she asked, sweetly. 

My choices were to eat crow or flat out lie again. Deciding it was time to test the waters, I got real close, looked at her straight on and said sincerely, “Green up to my eyes.” A sudden prickle of sweat broke out under my collar and my throat went dry. Waiting to see how she’d respond was only seconds, but it seemed like forever. 

There was a hitch in her breath and it looked like she was trying to decide what to say. Her eyes scanned my face. All of a sudden, Cora leaned in. “Call me baby, again.” 

She definitely wanted me to kiss her. There are very few times in my life I can remember needing something so badly. Wanting to give in to her right then and there has to be top five. I couldn’t do it.

Instead, I grabbed her and held her close. “Listen, doll. When this is all over, I wanna do this right. Ask you out proper, the works. Okay? It’s not going to be just a one-time thing with me.” With those big brown eyes starting up at me and those soft lips begging out to mine, it was impossible not to second-guess myself. 

“Sure,” she whispered. “I’d like that a lot. And maybe you get some lamebrained ideas once in a while, but you’re a good guy, Bucky.” 

I kissed the top of her head, let her go then told her to get herself packed. Her brother was due to pick her up in his car, and neither of us wanted to have to explain my presence. I waited across the street to make sure she was off safely. Then I went home and started counting the minutes until Monday. 


	7. Chapter 7

Saturday, I spent half the day doing laundry, tidying up what little there was to my apartment then checking up on my ma. I got an earful for not calling sooner and wasn’t let off until I promised to go over for Sunday dinner. 

Noon rolled around and I was already bored. I decided to head into the office, taking a little side trip to the precinct. A couple of the guys there owed me small favors. I cashed one in by having the phone number of Cora’s brother tracked down. Sure, I could have done it myself but, there being numerous Robert Johnsons in the phone book, it was quicker using police resources. 

The next stop was my office. Out in the hall there was a big, beefy guy in a swanky suit waiting when I got there. He turned around hearing my approach. That hard mug having been plastered in the newspaper a few times, there was no mistaking the gangster. 

_ Fuck. Fuck and double fuck. _

I froze. 

The cigar he was smoking was snuffed out on the door jamb, then he stuck it in his pocket. “Mr. Barnes?” he asked. 

For a moment, I considered lying but figured he probably already knew for a fact who I was. Also, I unfortunately have this ridiculous moral code of never backing down from a fight. I stood my ground. “Mr. Rumlow.” 

“You know who I am. Could I have a minute of your time?” 

“Do I have a choice?” 

“It’s a free country,” he sneered. 

Figured I may as well play it safe and listen to what the ex had to say. Once the door was unlocked for him, he stepped through. “Damn, it’s like a sauna,” he complained. I opened the window, which didn’t help much. The clunky old overhead fan clicked and whirred as it continued rotating at its sluggish speed. “You’ve probably guessed I’m here about Cora.” 

My trap stayed shut. 

“I’m not the one keeping tabs on her.” 

“Then who is?” 

“Don’t know, but I aim to find out.” 

“Doesn’t Ebersol work for you?” 

“Technically, no one works for me.” 

“I see. Cora said you were trying to get her back.” 

“Was. That was weeks ago. Once she made her feelings crystal clear, I left her alone. She’s a great gal and all, but there are plenty of fish in the sea. Especially, for a guy like me.” 

Admittedly, even without his connections, a guy like Brock Rumlow was going to get a lot of interest from the opposite sex. He was tall, built and tough. The statement wasn’t all that cocky. I’d seen plenty of chicks fall head over heels for no-good hoods like that. 

Conveniently forgetting the jerk was already married, what I didn’t like was the insinuation that he could do better than Cora. It took all I had to keep my derrière planted in my seat. “What are you here for, then?” 

“One of our guys has gotten himself involved in something outside his normal scope of work, say. Whoever is pulling the strings is my main concern. The guy’s a real sneak, but we’re closing in. I’d like you to step out and let us handle this.” 

“I can’t do that.” 

He looked me up and down. “She’s got you hooked, huh?” 

_ Jesus Christ, was I walking around with a sign on my forehead? _

When I didn’t respond, he added. “Look, I’m trying to be a good guy here and try to keep an innocent bystander outta harm’s way.” 

“Even if I believed that, Mr. Rumlow, I’m not backing off. I’ve gotta see this to the end of the line.” 

“Okay, Barnes. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” 

If the heat hadn’t already had me sweating, that little tete-a-tete sure would’ve done the trick. I would’ve loved a drink right then, but being bereft of one, pulled out a cigarette instead to calm my nerves. I wasn’t too thrilled that the guy now knew my name, my face and my place of business, but things certainly could have gone worse. 

After settling down and stubbing out the smoke, I pulled the scrap of paper out of my pocket and picked up the phone. Cora’s brother answered and, luckily, didn’t ask why a man was calling his house looking for his sister. 

“Bucky? How’d you get this number?” Simply hearing her voice instantly put me in a better mood. It hadn’t been twenty-four hours and I was already missing her like crazy. 

“I’m a detective, remember? Listen, I had a visit from Rumlow.” 

“Oh, god. Are you alright?” 

“Yeah. He only wanted to talk. Insisted he’s not the one having you followed but wants to find out what Ebersol is up to. I’m just checking up on you.” I didn’t think she needed to hear about the threat he left me with. 

Luckily, she was fine. Hadn’t had any indication that anyone was hanging around her brother’s place and they were having a nice visit. I learned she had two little nieces. The idea of a dish like Cora being anyone’s aunt was kinda funny to me, but I guess they come in all shapes and sizes. 

I was still feeling edgy once I got off the horn. So, I decided to run a few errands that been neglected during the week. I made a point to swing by both Barneys and Cora’s place when I happened to be near and didn’t see The Goon or any other suspicious types. 

Sunday was spent pretty much the same way minus the Rumlow visit. I had taken to watching over my own shoulder, however. If anyone was around, they had to be awfully good, and the mob isn’t exactly known for their subtlety. 

Later, I went to my family's as promised, where I was ambushed by the two of three younger sisters who still lived with my mother. Annie was studying to be a nurse, while Sarah was in her last year of high school. We had always been a pretty close-knit bunch, so we were all itching to catch up. As annoying as little sisters can be, there were lots of times I would’ve traded anything in the world to have them pestering me again. Returning to my childhood home reminded me how much easier things were on them without me and Rebecca taking up space. 

Having eaten at least my weight in food, Ma surprised me with my favorite desert, apple pie. I should say, her apple pie. Nothing else has ever held a candle to it. I was in the middle of digging in when our resident gossip columnist piped up. Sarah announced, “My friend, Lizzie, her sister, who was in your class, Bucky. You remember Alice Coleman?” 

“The name sounds familiar.” 

“Well, she remembers you. Anyway, she works at Barneys and she told Liz, who told me that she’s seen you hanging around the store all last week following after some girl.” All three sets of female eyes honed in on me like cats ready to pounce. 

Matter-of-factly, I said, “I’m on a case,” shoving more pie in my mouth. 

“According to Liz, she’s awfully pretty.” 

“It’s got nothing to do with me.” 

“You've always been a terrible liar,” Annie chided. 

“It’s one hundred percent true,” I protested. 

“You’re holding out on us.” 

“There’s nothing to tell.” Honestly, what could I tell them? Hey, I got tangled up with this dame who I’ve been carrying a torch for ever since the day she showed up. Oh, by the way, I am now on the mob’s radar. I very definitely had nothing to tell those three at that time. 

On my way home, I swung by Cora’s one last time. Still, no one lurking about. Before I went all the way back to my place, I stopped into my office so I could call her. Her brother was driving her back home soon. Even though I explained it seemed safe as could be expected, she asked to see me. How could I turn her down? 

Apparently, she wanted to see with her own eyes that I was alright after the run-in with Brock. She also wanted details on the conversation and wouldn’t let me go until satisfied that there was no imminent danger. 

When it was time to leave, she held my hand all the way to the door. I gave her a little peck to the forehead before saying goodnight. About halfway to the stairwell, she called out “Bucky?” 

I turned around, “Yeah, doll?” 

“I just gotta ask. Why haven’t you tried to kiss me proper yet?” 

Mulling it over for a minute, I answered, “Because when I do, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop.” 


	8. Chapter 8

For the next few days, we returned to more normal routines. We each went to work like always. The insurance company called asking me to check out a guy who had made his third back injury claim in a year. I spent most of the day checking up on his story that he had fallen through a sidewalk grate. This involved talking to the doctor he had seen, checking to see if he had filed a complaint with the city as well as tracking down and questioning some people who knew him well. 

I also followed the guy quite a bit to see if he did anything suspicious. Didn’t look like he’d be cutting a rug anytime soon. From what I gathered, the man wasn’t trying to scam anyone. He was just accident prone. Everyone I interviewed made it seem like the poor fella couldn’t go a day without stubbing a toe or tripping over his own two feet. The case took up the entire week, but it was nice to keep busy. 

In the evenings, I’d swing by Cora’s to see how her day went and also to make sure everything was copacetic. I still wouldn’t go past handholding, mostly out of dumb pride. You could argue I was already courting her then, but I did want to take her on a real date first. Plus, after what she’d been through with Rumlow, there wasn’t going to be any question of my intentions if I had anything to say about it. Not gonna lie, it wasn’t easy. By the time I got home each night, I was eager to shake the milkman’s hand. 

That Friday, the city woke to a noticeable shift in the weather. It was still horrendously hot and the humidity had actually gone up overnight. It was really cloudy, too. The paper that morning predicted the heat wave would break later that day with heavy storms. Things were finally starting to look up. 

Sadly, it didn’t last. The temperature was dropping and the wind picked up on my way to Cora’s that night. In itself, that was fantastic. But it was Cora, more accurately what had happened to her, that ruined the mood. 

During her lunchbreak, flowers had been delivered to her at the store. She said there hadn’t been any but it was from the same florist Rumlow had always used. When she called the shop, they said the purchaser was listed simply as John Smith. 

When she tried to call me at the office, I must’ve been out. Keeping her eyes peeled, she made it home without The Goon anywhere in sight. Then she got to her door to find an envelope had been slipped underneath. 

A shaky hand passed me the typewritten note. There was one word, “whore.” 

“None of this makes any sense.” 

“If it’s not him, then who would do this?” she asked. Her face went pale, so I led her to the couch and poured her a stiff drink. 

There was a distant rumbling announcing the storm had arrived. Rain started coming down outside, tapping gently at the windows then suddenly insisting more forcefully. I looked outside the window and saw Ebersol was across the street looking for a place to take cover.

“God damn it,” I barked then ran out of the apartment. Cora shouted after me, but I was in too much of a hurry to mind. There was no way I was letting him get away. 

When I got down to street level, it was coming down cats and dogs. Luckily, he hadn’t gotten far. I could see him in the doorway of a shop only yards away. I saw nothing but red. He wasn’t paying attention, instead focused on shaking the water off his hat, and the rain must have muffled my footsteps. He didn’t see me coming until I was right in front of him. 

“Hey!” I had to shout over the pounding rain. 

When he looked up, his eyes registered who it was, but too late. The HYDRA experiments had left me stronger than most men my size. Plus, you never want to discount pure adrenaline. I gave him a right uppercut to the jaw. All that and my being a former three-time YMCA welterweight boxing champ didn’t amount to much with him, though. Really expected that big lummox to go down. He came away with nothing but a split lip. As I started backing away, he took a step and socked me right in the gut. First, I thought something happened to my hearing but then realized there were sirens behind me. 

Doubled over and seeing stars, I was lucky a police cruiser had been rolling by and caught the whole show. The driver rolled down his window, not opting to get out in the deluge unless he had to. “Everything all right here, fellas?” 

“Just fine, officer,” Ebersol sneered, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. 

“Okay, you gentlemen move along then.” 

The interruption allowed me to take a few shallow breaths and some sense came back to me. I walked back towards the apartment and the cops made sure Ebersol went the other direction. The climb up to the third floor had me wincing and I walked through the door, clutching my side. 

Cora stopped mid-pacing, took one look and rushed to help me in. “Bucky, what the hell happened?” 

Not only was I soaked to the skin, but my knuckles were swollen and bleeding. She helped me into the bathroom, sat me down on the john and ran to make up an ice pack. I held that to my bruised ribs while she cleaned and bandaged my hand. 

“What the hell were you thinking?” 

“I wasn’t.” 

The end of the bandage was tucked underneath the rest of the binding but she held onto my hand a little longer. Shaking her head, Cora helped me up and told me to get outta the wet clothes. She handed me a bath towel and left me to undress. I hung everything up over the shower rod then wrapped up. 

When I left the bathroom, she was sitting on the bed. There was a hitch in her breath when she first looked at me, but when her eyes travelled down to my midsection, her expression changed from attraction to mortification. I glanced down. An angry bruise had already started showing. 

She stood and came to me. “Oh my god.” Her fingers reached out wanting to touch it, but pulled away at the last second. “How bad does it hurt?” 

“Not much anymore. The ice helped.” It wasn’t a lie at the time. Standing there, half naked with her so close and being so sweet, I was awfully distracted. A train could’ve run me over and I wouldn’t have felt it. 

“I’m not sure I’m worth all this, Bucky.” 

I coaxed her chin up, looking into her soft eyes. “Every last bit of it and more.” 

The concern left her face and was replaced with obvious longing. She gingerly weaved her hands around to my back, leaning into my chest. When even that wasn’t enough to convince me, she whispered, “Bucky, please.” 

Any resolve that may have been left was completely washed away. The moment I pressed my mouth to hers, outside the thunder cracked and it felt like lightning shot through my entire body. Her lips parted for me and it was like drinking a sweet wine that went straight to my head. It was going to other parts of me as well. 

I broke away for a minute to catch my breath. “Cora, I...” 

“I don’t want you to stop,” she sighed. 

My brain went on autopilot at that point. One hand was at her back, pulling her in even tighter while the other hiked up her skirt and palmed her thigh. She must have taken off her hose and garter belt earlier, because there was only glorious bare skin. When I tugged at her panties, she helped shimmy them the rest of the way off. Next, she loosened the towel. It fell to the floor and she grabbed me. The wind was knocked out of me. My virginity was lost a long time ago, but she had me feeling like a teenager all over again. I fumbled at the buttons on her top and after some finagling with that and the bra strap was able to get one of her bare breasts into my hand.

“I need you. Now,” she pleaded. 

We stumbled over to the bed where she lay down. Neither of us were interested in any further foreplay. I knelt between her bent knees and slowly entered. A few expletives were muttered by each of us. I still recall how sublime it felt being inside her that first time. It was so warm and soft and better than I’d ever dreamed. There was serious danger of me losing it immediately. I tried to think of the latest Brooklyn Dodgers stats to keep preoccupied. 

It wasn’t working. Luckily, she was just as far gone as I was. “Bucky, I’m going to...” She never finished that sentence. The arching of her back and that exquisite final squeeze took me right along with her. Some unintelligible sound left me as I was thrown over the edge. 

Gasping for air, we just stared into each other's eyes for a few minutes. I kissed her gently and found it hadn’t been enough. We both needed more. Slowly taking care of the rest of her clothes, we then took our sweet time the next go ‘round. 

When it was all over, Cora looked at me half dazed. She’s gorgeous on any given day, but right then, all soft in total bliss, knowing that I did that to her, my heart felt like it was about to burst. 

I must have had a similar expression on my face. “Penny for your thoughts,” she said. 

Without thinking twice, I answered, “Sweetheart, you got me falling fast and hard.” 

“Me too, Bucky. Me too.” 


	9. Chapter 9

In the midst of our preoccupied state, Cora had forgotten to set her alarm. We were woken by the sound of a key in the front door. Like a cat in a house on fire, she jumped out of the bed taking the sheet with her and shutting me in the room alone. There was a flurry of whispers before she came back only to shoo me out so Gina could return in ten minutes without my dying of embarrassment. 

Despite my hasty dismissal, the day was full of promise. The rain had cooled the city to a more reasonable mid-eighties, the sun was shining, and I was walking on air. If only there was a way to get rid of The Goon once and for all, I wouldn’t have had a care in the world. 

Bliss like that, unfortunately, can’t stand up to the brutal realities of daily life. Facing my ugly, cramped hovel, was like having cold water thrown in my face. The place really was a dump. It was so bad, Cora wouldn’t be allowed within fifty feet of it. My office was cleaner, bigger and it’d be easy enough to get a cot. If I took a few weeks and saved what I’d been throwing away on rent, I could afford something decent. The sort of place you wouldn’t be ashamed to bring a lady to. 

I was finishing up my plans and wiping off the last vestiges of shaving cream off my face when there was a knock at the door. Sam was on the other side, in uniform. His usually cheerful face was full of regret which was worrisome. “Sorry, man. Steve sent me.” 

There was a sinking feeling in my gut. “What’s wrong? It’s not the baby, is it?” 

“No. They’re fine. We need to bring you in for questioning. Officially.” 

“For what?” 

“You haven’t seen the paper yet?” When I indicated no, he told me, “Ebersol’s body was fished outta the river early this morning. Martin and Walsh were hesitant to bring up your little ruckus last night, but since there were other witnesses on the street they didn’t see as they had much choice.” 

My goose was cooked. I knew it had to have been an inside job, and if there was one thing the families were good at, it was covering their tracks. That or paying off the right people to look the other way. Sure, I had an alibi, but the only way to clear myself would require ruining a young woman’s reputation. 

“I trust you’ll come in nice and easy?” he asked. Not that I wouldn't, but there wasn’t another viable option. Besides, maybe the guys had some dirt that would’ve been kept out of the papers. 

Detective Jenkins was the one they sent in to question me when I got to the station. Put me into an interrogation room and everything. He was fairly green and I could tell by the way he was asking, they didn’t have anything else to go on. He tried for a good hour or so, but I stuck to my guns insisting I’d gone straight home after Martin and Walsh saw me the night before. Since the truth wouldn’t effect their investigations one way or another, I saw no problem with telling that particular white lie. 

The Captain made his way into the interrogation room eventually. He looked sterner than my old man that time I got busted for taking his car on a joy ride. “Buck, we all know you didn’t do this, but if you don’t give us an alibi, I’m going to have to arrest you.” 

“Bullshit.” 

“You’re lying, and you know I know you’re lying.” 

“Steve, I’ve already told you everything I know and your boys saw the whole bust up last night. I want this cleared up more than anyone. Why would I hold something back?” 

He didn’t have an answer. They allowed me the curtesy of one phone call. If I called home, my mom would croak from a heart attack. There was only one other person I needed to contact. I had to let Cora know where I was so she wouldn’t panic. Especially if she’d heard the news. 

I knew they didn’t have enough to actually lock me up, but Steve kept me hanging around for a few more hours anyway. Maybe he thought I’d crack from boredom or remember some tiny detail if left alone long enough. Around six o’clock, Sam came in and told me I was free to go. My girl was waiting for me at the front desk. 

“Cora, what are you doin’ here?” 

“You numbskull. Why didn’t you tell them the truth?” 

“I couldn't do that to you, doll.” 

“My reputation is not worth your neck, you big dope. You’re my knight in shining armor, Bucky, but I’m not going to let you fall on your own sword.” 

Steve was giving me another look I was familiar with. The one that said he knew something was up all along and he could see why I did it but was still a little pissy about it. Cora distracted him with the note she’d brought along and the story about the flower delivery. He said it wasn’t enough to bring Rumlow in, but did intend to pay him a visit. Since Ebersol had been a known associate, maybe a clue could be sweat out of him. Having met the guy in person, I wasn't about to hold my breath.

Being nothing else we could do, I walked Cora home, both of us looking over our shoulders wondering if someone else was going to show up. No one did. 

She gave me another proper meal and we tried to unravel this crazy mess of a situation we’d gotten into. If it had been Rumlow from the start then why would he have The Goon croaked? Had Ebersol possibly had a thing for her himself and The Shield found out? It was a real brain buster. 

In the end I just couldn’t think anymore and was more focused on watching her lips than what was actually coming out of them. “You’re not listening to me, are you?” she pouted. 

“I’m sorry, baby. We’re spinning our wheels here and it’s given me a headache.” 

Her fingers raked through my hair. She asked, “You wanna go lay down? Relax a little while?” As much as I wanted to, I also didn’t want to take advantage. While I thought of a nice way to turn her down, my tie was loosened and the shirt collar was unbuttoned. Her lips began peppering kisses on my neck. 

“Sweetheart, you know I do, but we gotta take things slow. We don’t want any...you know...accidents.” 

“Of course,” she said continuing to undo my buttons. “We should take our time and weigh all our options, if you catch my drift.” Having finished with mine, she started working at her own blouse. “And there’s always prevention to consider.” 

She was topless and helping my hands find their way to her breasts. I was panting. “The army handed out some stuff during the war. I’ll be honest, they’re terrible.” At some point she’d freed me from the confine of my pants and was stroking me. “Baby! Fuck, you’re killing me.” 

“You forget my roommate's a nurse." Breathy, she whispered into my ear, "I’ve got a diaphragm,” then lifted her skirt, started rubbing up on me and added, “I hope you don’t think less of me, but no one’s made me feel the way you do.” 

My insides felt like they were falling apart when she finally had me inside her. Everyone tells you not to make declarations in the heat of the moment, but it was the god awful truth – had been for a while - and I couldn't have her go on guessing. “I love you, Cora.” 

Stopping still for a moment, she looked into my eyes. “You’re not just saying that, are you? You really mean it?” 

“Doll, I’ve been in love with you since the day we met.” 

“Oh, Bucky! I love you, too.” As soon as she kissed me and started moving again, I felt the world slide out from under me. Three magic words changed everything and suddenly the two of us were on our own special wavelength. Without needing words, we reached that ultimate high together, completely shattering down to our basic elements only to come back together more whole and solid by the knowledge that we’d found our purpose in each other’s arms. 

It was then I determined to put an end to Cora's troubles even if it meant raising Hell itself. Turned out, it came looking for us.


	10. Chapter 10

We had gotten ourselves decent again, sat around moony-eyed for a while whispering those endearments typical of new lovers. Then we began a serious discussion on why I didn’t want to risk facing Gina again by spending the night. A knock on the door stopped us short. As soon as Cora opened it, a big meathead of a lug grabbed her and stepped inside. Her eyes were wide, obviously frightened out of her wits. 

“Bucky?” she pleaded. I jumped from my seat, but halted seeing the intruder held a gun to her side. 

“Don’t even think about it, bub.” Another, much smaller, beady-eyed weasel stepped in behind him. He saw my holster laying on the table, and grabbed my gun. The first one told him, “Arnie, pat this guy down then check the other room.” 

“What do you guys want?” I asked. 

“We don’t want nothing. We were sent to collect you is all.” 

“By who?” 

“You’ll find out soon enough.” 

The little guy returned. Training my own gun on me, he latched onto my arm. I wrenched away from the hold. “Get your mitts offa me!” 

The big oaf stuck the pistol fast to Cora’s ribs making her wince. “You’ll settle down if you know what’s good for you and your chippy here.” His friend hid my gun in his pocket, keeping it poised in my direction. “You go along with Arnie. We’ll be right behind. You make one wrong move, Romeo, and the lady gets it.” 

My mind frantically spun with how I could possibly save Cora, but even all my training with The Howling Commandos didn’t prepare me for anything like this. With my gal in mortal danger and having no weapons, there was not a thing I could do. 

The four of us went down the stairs and we were led to a big black sedan waiting in the street. They forced us into the back, the big guy staying right by Cora. Arnie went around front and took the wheel. 

“Where are you taking us?” I asked. 

“Don’t you worry about it.” 

They hadn’t blindfolded us, so I was plenty worried. Obviously, they weren’t planning on us being able to talk to anyone when all was said and done. I tried my best to stay cool so as not to scare Cora any worse than she already was. Crawling the fingers of my right hand over to those on her left, I grabbed her hand in mine. 

The ride was only about fifteen minutes long. Later I learned we’d been driven to the warehouse district at the edge of town. One of them said, Cut the lights,” and the car started rolling slower. The driver got out. I heard the sound of a large bay door opening. The driver got back in the car and we rolled a few more yards. After stopping the car, Our blindfolds were removed. The driver opened my car door to let me out, gun trained on me. I turned and gave Cora a hand, squeezing a little to give what paltry reassurance I could. Had to give the girl credit for not going to pieces. 

There were only a few suspended industrial lamps hanging off in the distance. We were led past a bunch of empty crates where two wooden chairs stood in a circle of light. Our kidnappers made us sit then, tied each of us up side-by-side, one at a time. The bigger goon told the smaller one "Tell the boss they’re ready”. He walked into a dimly lit office off to the side. I was sure it would be Rumlow stepping back out with him. 

Instead it was a woman. She was a petite blonde, but walked like she stood ten feet tall. The dark, tailored dress she wore along with gold jewelry and perfectly manicured red nails all screamed money. This was someone used to getting whatever she wanted. She came towards us with a hard, mean sneer on her face. 

“Who the hell are you?” I asked. 

“Vera Rumlow. Nice to meet you Mr. Barnes,” she said in a nasally voice, thick with a Long Island accent. I was puzzling over the connection as she walked over to Cora and said, “Too bad for you, I can’t say the same.” She hauled off and slapped Cora hard enough to draw blood. 

“Hey! I’ve never wanted to slug a dame before, but I'm starting to rethink that policy.” 

She laughed at me. “I’ll take my chances.” 

Cora cleared things up for me. “She’s Brock’s wife.” 

“That’s right.” Vera got in Cora’s face. “I’m his wife. Brock is married to me.” 

“He didn’t tell me he was married!” 

“Is that what this is about?” I asked. “You’re the one who had her followed all this time?" 

“Now you’re catching on.” 

“But why? She broke it off with him weeks ago, you stupid bitch.” Her simple nod to my captor clued him to slug me. 

“Stop it!” Cora hollered. 

Spitting blood while I slowly raised my eyes to look him dead in the eye, I warned, “You’re gonna pay for that.” 

“Please watch your manners, Mr. Barnes. I’d hate to have to ruin such a pretty face any further.” She turned and said, “Listen, princess. Your sweet and innocent routine may work on all the men who've got their brains between their legs, but it’s not going to have any sway with me. Keep your floozy trap shut.”

Vera looked back my way and said, “Brock went with her longer than any of his other whores and then kept on tryin’ to get her back. She has some kind of spell over him and I’m going to remove it. He also needs to learn I meant business when I told him I wasn’t takin’ no more of his hound doggin’.” 

“You’re nuts. You know that? Why’dya ice Ebersol for?” 

“I didn’t. Brock found out he was moonlighting for me, so to speak. Guess he didn’t take too kindly to that.” 

“Christ, you two are a match made in Hell. You deserve each other.” That’s when Cora finally realized we were a lost cause and started crying. “I’m sorry, baby. I should’ve kept a better eye out.” 

“None of this is your fault, Bucky. Just know that I love you.” 

“I love you, too, doll.” With a wink I added, "Sure am glad we didn't wait for that date." The corners of her mouth drew up a little and she settled down some.

“Aw. Ain’t these two love birds sweet? Sorry, you'll have to pick up the courtship on the other side,” Vera said and she nodded at her two cronies again. 

I closed my eyes and started saying my prayers as they raised their guns. By the grace of God, the next thing we heard wasn’t shots though. It was the shout of, “Stop right there! This is the police.” 

Popping my lids open, I saw Sam along with three other boys in blue. Both perps froze. The cops then called out, “Drop the weapons and hands behind your heads.” As soon as the guns hit the dirt, Vera made a dive for one of them. She was just about to raise it when a shot rang out, reverberating through the building. Cora screamed. Mrs. Rumlow fell to the ground, a pool of blood seeping from her gut. 

Sam came over and set us free while the other cops cuffed Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. “Man, are you a sight for sore eyes,” I told him. Cora rushed into my arms as soon as I was loose. “But how’d you know we were here?” 

“After you left the precinct, Steve told me to keep up the watch until further notice. Got one of those funny feelings of his. When I saw those two characters enter the building, I called for backup. By the time they pulled up down the block down aways, we saw you being led into the car so we followed.” 

“I could kiss you.” 

“Please don’t.” 

“How about me?” Cora asked. 

“Yes, ma’am!” She planted one on his offered cheek and he grinned from ear to ear. 

“Alright, Don Juan,” I laughed and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “How ‘bout you take us home, so we can get cleaned up? We’ll come in and give our statements as soon as we can.” 

We started for the squad cars when I stopped everyone. "Hold up. There's just one more thing." I let go of Cora and stood in front of Arnie. "I told you, you'd pay for that." A solid right hook knocked him out cold.

After were dropped off at Cora’s place, I got some ice for her swollen lip and my sore jaw. There wasn’t much we could do about the marks left by the ropes where we'd been tied, but luckily, they weren’t too bad. By that time, the adrenaline had left our bodies. I called Steve and got the okay to wait until morning before going in. Cora and I then revisited our previous discussion that had been so rudely interrupted. We passed out on the couch. 


	11. Chapter 11

Unfortunately, there wasn’t any hard evidence to pin the Ebersol murder on Rumlow. Vera’s claim was merely speculation. Sam and Steve did their utmost to get the two toadies to talk. The goombahs were even offered deals, but lawyered up and kept mum. Can’t say as I blame them. They could do jailtime in their sleep. Swimming in the Hudson is a whole ‘nother story. 

For months, Steve had been unsuccessfully trying to get Sam a promotion. Thought saving our necks would finally get it approved. Unfortunately, his superiors were not willing to break the color barrier in that borough. Sam would either have to settle for being a beat cop all his life or transfer out of his own neighborhood. The best Steve could do was get him a small pay raise and a commendation. 

Poor Cora’s nerves were shot, and I couldn’t blame her either. To tell the truth, mine were frazzled too. Her boss was nice enough to give her a couple days off, without pay of course. At least she’d still have her job, though. The nights were the roughest. She had a hell of a time getting to sleep. I’d have to lay with her wrapped tight in my arms and tell her some silly story from my childhood. Once she nodded off, I would tiptoe out. After about a week, she finally accepted the nightmare really was over and done with. 

It also helped having a distraction when Steve and Peggy’s little one finally came along. She was a beautiful, healthy girl they named Katherine Jamie Rogers. Katie, as they called her, luckily looked like mom. If her fussy nature was anything to go by, the child had her father’s disposition. I’m glad it wasn’t the other way around. 

Things kept on looking up. The insurance cases were rolling in more frequently. A really juicy one had me on the ropes for a while. There was this woman who put in for an accidental death claim on her husband. Suicide. Coincidentally, the wife had added a double indemnity rider to his policy not six months earlier. Well, insurance companies aren’t too partial to coincidences of that nature. I know you’re thinking she off’ed the poor schmuck. She didn’t. It was her lover. But, get this, her beau was the one who wrote up the policy. He refused to go down alone and sold her out. It had all been her idea. The wild story made the papers, which, thankfully, kept me out of it. 

Then one of the bigwigs wound up personally hiring me to track down his wife who had pulled a runner in the middle of divorce proceedings. That little chunk of cheese allowed me to find myself a decent little apartment. It was only one room, but had its own bathroom and no pests. Despite not being very big, Cora and I finally had the privacy we wanted. 

With some silver rattling around in my pocket for a change, I was able to take her on legitimate dates. The pictures were her favorite. We went to one almost every week. I would pick her up and make a big fuss out of whatever number she had on. No matter how many times I told her she didn’t have to go to the trouble, she said she got a kick out of getting all dolled up for me. Gotta admit, having a pretty girl on your arm boosts just about any guy’s ego. 

Another favorite pastime of ours was to take the train into Manhattan on fair weather Sundays. We would walk around Central Park then stroll down Fifth Avenue. She loved to window shop at all the swanky stores. There might be a lavish fur coat or a glitzy piece of jewelry that caught her eye. She was a sucker for the elegant ballgowns, though. Sometimes she’d ask me something, like, “How do you think I’d look in that?” 

I usually answered, “Too good. Some movie producer would come and steal you off to Hollywood. You’d forget all about me and I’d die of a broken heart.” 

“Not for all the fame and fortune in the world,” she’d answer and I believed her. 

A couple months later, I got up the nerve to ask Cora to join me at the family’s Sunday dinner. Funny how a gal who with a spine of steel being held at gunpoint could nearly go to pieces at the thought of meeting the Barnes women. 

At the end of the night, after the meal was well and done, my mother pulled me surreptitiously into her room. “James, there’s something I want you to have.” 

Opening the top drawer of her dresser, she reached into the back and pulled out a small box. The lid was removed and she pulled out a delicate gold ring with a small diamond surrounded by even smaller blue stones she later told me where sapphire. “It was your grandmother’s.” She took my hand and placed it in the palm. 

“Mom, are you sure?” 

“She wanted you to have it when the time was right. I’d say the time is right, wouldn’t you?” 

“Yes. Yes, I would.” Closing my fingers around it, I kissed her cheek and head straight down the hall. My sisters were just finishing up in the kitchen. I asked them to join us in the living room. Between the war and all the hell we’d been through lately, I vowed never to wait on the important stuff ever again. I asked Cora to marry me right then and there. 

Both of our families wanted to throw together a big wedding, but we also didn’t want to wait for all the planning that would involve. Cora and I got hitched at the courthouse within the week. The moms’ feathers were ruffled, but they came around quick enough when we told them they could still plan a formal ceremony if they wanted. The nuptials will be next summer, which will give us enough time to save up for a honeymoon. We’re both thinking Niagara Falls. Anyplace cooler than summertime in Brooklyn. 

I got Cora to quit the job at Barney’s, but she got bored real fast and would come help me in the office on days I was in. She put together a filing system for me, made sure the bills got paid and would even answer the phone, calling herself my secretary. At first, it was only something to keep her busy. But it wasn’t long before she actually became indispensable. Everything ran so much more efficiently, my case load doubled. When it got so I had to hire another pair of eyes, I snatched Sam from the NYPD. 

Steve’s still sore at me. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you’re wondering why I chose to end the story here, it’s in effort to keep within genre. For those not familiar with detective noir, both movies and books tend to end almost immediately after the climax. There’s really no “payoff” for the audience. But, I wanted a happy wrap-up for my characters. Technically, this turns it into a “gris” story. I’m okay with that.
> 
> Thanks, and I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this and will check out the rest of my Works list for more Bucky and other Marvel characters.


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